COMMON MISTAKES TOURISTS MAKE IN GERMANY 🇩🇪

[@folkehoffmann1198]

The tickets dont need to be validated everywhere. In Hamburg for example date and time are automatically printed on the ticket I think.

[@WolkeYume]

same in Stuttgart if you buy a one day ticket. As a German even I had problems in Berlin because I did not know you had to validate them😂

[@zemzoumiyoussef9297]

ganz genau, gott sei dank :)

[@alias8378]

Mein Freund entwertet jedes Ticket, auch wenn drauf steht, dass es nicht entwertet werden muss. Er sagt, lieber einmal zu oft als zu wenig.

[@folkehoffmann1198]

@@alias8378 da wird er es aber schwer haben, in Hamburg einen Entwerter zu finden.

[@alias8378]

@@folkehoffmann1198 Wir wollten sowieso mal in Hamburg einen Kurzurlaub einlegen. Wir werden die Öffis benutzen. Ich will sehen, wie er sucht. ^^

[@prometheus70516]

About the Autobahn: You need to be concentrated while driving, but not because of speedlimits accuring, but because of the big amount of cars and trucks and because of the stupidity of some of the drivers. My driving teacher told me many times: "Always consider others to make mistakes." Even if there is a speedlimit, you still go pretty fast on the Autobahn, so be careful and always keep an eye on surrounding cars and trucks.

[@Annika20091995]

Hi Antoniette, Ich finds klasse, wie du die Gegensätze positiv besetzt. Man merkt, dass du jemand bist, die gerne in Deutschland lebt aber nicht die Augen verschließt vor der Wahrheit :) Weiter so! Liebe Grüße aus Hamburg

[@dirk9787]

Tap water is "Leitungswater" in German. Normally, as far as I know, it is free, though your results may vary. Also, if you only order Leitungswasser the server might get a bit grumpy.

[@carolinec8804]

Guter Tip!

[@Sebastian-il2ly]

not every restaurant has tap water for you

[@catrins24]

It is not free in any restaurant I have been to in Germany. The charge a lot for it unfortunately

[@carolinec8804]

@@catrins24 Ach so, wie wäre es mit BYO Wasser? Ich meine, ich trage immer ein kleines Flaschwasser in meiner Handtasche...

[@Waechter_im_All]

@@carolinec8804 Und du nimmst auch dein eigenes Bier mit in die Kneipe, ja?

[@mattesrocket]

ich bin Deutscher, ich brauche mir nicht anschauen, worauf Touristen in Deutschland achten könnten. Hm, ach ich schau's mir trotzdem an, ist garantiert unterhaltsam 😅

[@ingridshilleh5965]

Mattes Rocket @ sie hat das sehr gut gemacht..ja das ist Deutschland einfach schön..ich bin von 🇦🇹 wir sind ja Nachbarn..

[@atze6702]

man kann immer etwas neues lernen ^^

[@sternenregen5489]

The last chance to get something to eat in germany is the "Tankstelle" ( gasstation). Sone of them are like a smal supermarket. Washing on a sunday? It depend on where you live

[@teachersusanute199]

Sternen Regen Tankstelle has saved me many times. 😁

[@Alias_Anybody]

"I had a really nice tram inspector" Translated: I was really adorable.

[@zemzoumiyoussef9297]

Nach dem Motto waerst du aus n 0815 Land, haette es nen anderen verlauf genommen selbst wenn du die Wahrheit sagst ;)

[@juttalio1664]

Here you are: W

[@dasleckeresteak3607]

@@zemzoumiyoussef9297 Was ist ein 0815 Land ?

[@helfgott1]

Dear Antoinette u make me understand how non germans feel and i do thank u for that a lot, And a german honest compliment: Rob is a lucky guy he is. And u are absolutly right about talking about germanys nazi history, it was the darkest part of german history and i am ashamed of it. Deeply ashamed.I was born 1959 so i grew up in a generation which said NO to their parents. Wearing long hair was a sign u said NO to Nazies; Music was the Key Beatles Rolling stones thats what we loved and still do. I do not know any country where there was such a generation conflict, may be us while and after the cruel vietnam war, so i am still anti Nazi and will be fighting for an free german country a true democracy and i will welcome people like u a lot

[@Tomymind]

It is not a „special german thing“ not to drop things on the ground! There are a lot of countries in the world, where it isn‘t alowed.

[@cmoore7518]

When I was in Hamburg, you could literally find out the whole life of an American because they’re so LOUD.

[@folkehoffmann1198]

Hamburg is definitely quiet compared to Berlin. Trust me, I was raised near Hamburg and my parents still live there and I live in Berlin now and go to my parents place at least once a year.

[@cmoore7518]

Ariel S L really? I never thought that about Germans in my country. It’s always Americans, they love to talk! Everywhere I went in Europe it was always the Americans speaking loudly on the trains. They’re such good people though!

[@JoviesHome]

Congratulations on 50k subscribers!! What an amazing milestone!!

[@Kateida1]

Hey Antoinette, ich mag Deine Videos sehr. Du triffst uns Deutschen sehr genau.😅 Aber ich freue mich auch immer, wenn Du etwas über Neuseeland erzählst. Ich war im Dezember 2016 dort und habe mich sofort in dieses wunderschöne Land verliebt.❤️ LG

[@GuentherBN]

Excellent observations: As a native German I'd like to add my view: Littering: Yes, who would think this is a good thing even outside of Germany? Keep the environment clean and avoid annoying the squirrels. And if you wanna be heavily fined for this than you have to try this in Singapore :-) Credit Cards: It used to be very uncommon. Though it is changing and for a couple of years now I pay mostly by card instead of cash. In urban areas you'll find a lot of super markets, shops and restaurant which accept cards. The more rural the higher the chance is that the shop or restaurant expect cash. Washing laundry on a sunday: There is no law about it. Though the appartnment owners of a house with many appartments can establish a rule like this in the Hausordnung (house regulation). If you live in your own house there is no limit and you can wash all sunday long. Speed limit; About 70% of the Autobahn are not limited. But you'll find these section normally not near to urban areas. Even a three or four lane (per direction) Autobahn can't be used for speeds above 120 km/h if it is full of cars. My personal speed record was 259 km/h on a sunday morning (7 am). And this was legal. Speed tickets: If the police finds you speeding you'll be fined. I think this is the same with other countries. Comparing Germany to other European countries the speeding fine is an absolute bargain!!! Don't try this in Luxemburg, France or Switzerland. Switzerland may confiscate your Supercar if you exceed the speed limit.

[@djvillan]

Correct. My personal record is 304 kmh on the A1 and speeding fines are 1/10 of what I'd be charged in Australia.

[@sunnysummer4934]

Luckily the card situation is changing, especially since there is contactless payment. But 3 years ago you were totally right with it. And it‘s better to have some cash with you, just in case :)

[@jas1292]

That’s true! In some shops they don’t accept credit cards but most shops accept giro cards. However in smaller shops or bakeries they normally only accept cash

[@helilebon614]

Am Sonntag bekommt man einige Lebensmittel und Getränke an größeren Tankstellen und in größeren Bahnhöfen, wie Würzburg, Frankfurt oder Nürnberg. Verhungern muss man nicht. Es ist nur etwas teurer.

[@Farbenator]

In Frankfurt and around you don't have do validate your ticket. I was really suprised that there are regions where you have to validate. I think it depends which transit authority is running the local public transport.

[@Anson_AKB]

"auto-validating" can be annoying. i once had some card (don't remember the details) and wanted to buy another one for the next day or the day after since i just had time and also the exact amount of money. but because it would be validated automatically on purchase for the current day, i couldn't do it immediately, had to keep the money separate, and on the next day had to queue for the ticket during rush hour :-( similar also applies when you have invited some friends from "far away" and want to give them a good start in your town: impossible to send them such a card in advance. and finally it is pretty confusing if some cards have to be validated and others don't: easy to forget doing it for the cards that need it. fun fact: in german, you *invalidate* the card _("entwerten")_ :-) we seem to think of the action as having some kind of use-once coupon and "making it unusable for more/following uses" while in english the card needs to be *validated* to (check it? and) "make it valid for current use". maybe the origin of the german version is the act of punching a hole in train tickets when it was checked so that it couldn't be used again by someone else or on the next day.

[@dagmarszemeitzke]

On our Train station is a very little grocerystore whitch is open 5°° - 23°° on 7 days a week.

[@lotharschepers2240]

Oh, Antoinette, you made my day at the moment when you mentioned that especially the younger Germans want not to be hunted by the demons of the past because that was nothing they have done. I'm a native German babyboomer (born 1961) and will turn 59 in a few days at this moment you called me one of the younger Generation it made my day. ;-) Thanks and all the best to you and the ones you loved.

[@misfithog5855]

You were part of the generation who called out your parents and their contemporaries and asked the hard questions. By the time my generation (born 1981) came around working through the past had been gone on a long time and a lot of how it had been handled is due to you guys. :)

[@fs2728]

60 is the new 40.

[@teachersusanute199]

Lothar Schepers same here. So sick to be reminded of this particular time in German history. 🙄 But we had to tell our American exchange students that the „Hitlergruß“ is forbidden in Germany and that you can get fined doing it. They thought it would be funny to do it in public. Our Gernan students were horrified. It is a no go. 😁😁🤣 When my kids were on exchange in the US they found all the Nazi jokes thrown at them rather strange. 🤔And certainly not funny at all.

[@dasleckeresteak3607]

Alles gute zum Geburtstag

[@AviSandy]

People in Cologne Germany are so much friendlier than Munich ! If you visit Cologne just talk to locals and learn their culture. You’ll love it 😍

[@hansmuller3604]

Ah, die bekannten freundlichen Köbese

[@omayrasanchez2877]

Great points. Two comments/corrections re tickets and tap water, from a native: If Tickets have to be validated or come out of the ticket machine already valid varies from city to city, and in some places from machine to machine (in Hamburg for example you have both types! even at the same stops sometimes, so careful!) You're right that it's frowned upon to order tap water as your only /"main" drink, *instead of* a normal item from the menu, but what is perfectly acceptable is to order a glass of tap water *additionally* to a hot drink or an alcoholic drink. "Einen Cappucino/Rotwein und (dazu) ein Glas Leitungswasser bitte" is not socially awkward but totally fine ("A cappucino/red wine and (with it) a glass of tap water please") LG, love your videos 🌸

[@Rainerjgs]

Danke, liebe Emily, daß Du den Ausländern die deutsche Kultur so verständlich und liebevoll erklärst, denn damit trägst Du sehr viel zu Völkerverständigung bei!

[@AnSe902]

When I grew up the opening hours were monday to friday from 8 - 13 and 15 - 18:30 plus saturday mornings.

[@liablume5620]

Still know places where it is like that :)

[@yunaatlantis4804]

Oh! Yes...I remember!

[@Anson_AKB]

it is still like that in small towns and even in big towns like Berlin most of the smaller shops and shops in smaller streets close at 6.30 pm or even at 6.00 pm (on saturday even as early as 1pm or max 2pm). on the other hand, there are lots of supermarkets and _"Spätis"_ ("late shops") open mo-sa until at least 8pm, some until 10pm or even 11pm or midnight. but on sundays they all (depends on the local government how strict this is handled, even for different districts in Berlin) have to stay closed, except for very few near "travel hubs for tourists" (train station, airport, gas stations), and restaurants (which close at some other day instead), bakeries (a few hours open on sunday morning), and similar.

[@teachersusanute199]

Andrea Selter still like that in smaller towns 😁

[@Claudio-1969]

And a lot of shops were closed on wednesday afternoon

[@dagmarszemeitzke]

In my hometown in the tram and buses are automates where you can buy tickets. For one tour there is print on the date and time. If you buy a card for 8 drives you had to put it in the Entwerter

[@AE-mu1jc]

6:30 But at tourist spots the shops extra open on Sunday. Look at Malente, Neustadt, Sylt, ... Many cities here in Schleswig-Holstein have this. Other tourist spots have same e.g. Schloß Neunschwanstein in Bayern.

[@thomasweeks7992]

The Germans are wonderful people I love the culture we could learn so much from them.

[@sympathderseefahrer420]

Lets say ther's a reason why we Germans a big into traveling - to get away from all those "wonderful" people, as far as possible! :D

[@teachersusanute199]

Ariel S L yep, when I was an exchange student in the US so many people asked me if I know any Mullers from Frankfurt etc as if I would know any long lost relatives of them? 🤔🤔🤔It was kind of funny 😁

[@Scoundrel_at_Heart]

Validating tickets depends on where you buy them. In magdeburg you need to validate tram and bus tickets when you buy them at a counter or ticket mashine outside the bus or tram. If you buy the ticket inside the tram or bus at a ticket mashine it is automatically validated.

[@jensgoerke3819]

To help people remember the past there are "Stolpersteine" ("stumbling stones") in front of some houses: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolperstein - I'm kind of proud of people openly acknowledging the shameful past that happened there, even if it happened long before their time.

[@Gr8man4sex]

Great video Antoinette. It has been quite a few years since I was in Germany but when you mentioned littering something else you don't want to do is pick flowers without permission. Also you can spend as little as .50 on your debit or credit card although it is not really done that much. Since I was in the Army when I was in Germany we were warned about what we should and shouldn't do.

[@hanniwe]

The part with the debit and credit cards: Not totally true. It is very much changing. Not all shops/restaurants take them, but most! But you certainly wouldn’t pay small amounts with cards as the shop/restaurant owner has to pay a fee for each transaction.

[@RainerSchweitzer]

As to the history thing I see several aspects. On 16. März 1945 Würzburg has been 90% destroyed. Just look at the fotos that have been taken after the bombardment, listen to the descriptions of survivors (Google: Würzburg + Bombardierung, also there is a permanent exhibition about it in Würzburg)! Walk through the city centre and be aware that wherever you see a post-war building, there has been a much older one bombed and burnt beyond repair and people have died in it´s cellars. In addition, every pre-war building you´ll see is largely a reconstruction. Or ask your husband´s grandparents, if they are still alive, what has happened in Poland during the war or ask his parents what their parents have told them! And so forth and so forth. There is a very dark shadow over Germany´s more recent history and as a German there is no escaping from it in Europe and beyond. Many Germans, older and younger, are aware of that and, while not feeling directly guilty of or responsible for it, are not quite up to enjoying jokes about that time, it was just too horrific. Then there are younger people with no or little historic knowledge and no awareness of historic dimensions, who feel they have nothing to do with it all. They do not want to always be reminded of that part of history, not even in jokes, the more so since it often enough leads to advices on what one should or should not do, how one should or should not behave and think, somehow trying to instill a feeling of guilt on them. Apart from that I think, the whole essence of being German/European and living there is to be in the middle and part of a good 2000 years of history. The "fairytale villages" in lower Franconia are not designed after the fairytales, they are the real thing and the fairytales are modelled after them. Or the stone that marks the border between two wineyards may well have been set there centuries ago. Winemaking in Franconia goes back to at least the 8th century. Every corner is brimming with history, manifest in myriads of things, small and big (see Julius- and Bürgerspital as prominent examples). Well, at least if that history has not been eradicated, bombed away during the second worldwar. There is a severe phantom pain over the loss of large parts of our history which makes it difficult for many to enjoy jokes about it. I enjoy your channel and wish you all the best for you and your family.

[@lioba.94371]

... and Würzburg is not the only city which was nearly completely destroyed in world war two, but this happened to many German cities.

[@RainerSchweitzer]

In fact it happened to every town, except perhaps Regensburg, Heidelberg, Rothenburg o.d.Tauber, Görlitz. Though not all became destroyed to the same extent as Würzburg, Kassel, Dresden, Kiel, Hamburg, Frankfurt... But walk through the centres of Strasbourg, or Colmar and know that all German towns used to look like this. Nobody needs to complain, because our grandparents were the ones to have started it all and created an inferno of unimaginable dimensions. This part may be a bit more difficult to understand for people from overseas, what it means emotionally that it´s been our grandparents, not abstract, foreign people from a different part of the world. But then this was only a short episode in over 1000 years of German history as part of over 2000 years of European history.

[@lioba.94371]

@@RainerSchweitzer… short but yet important.

[@RainerSchweitzer]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2SrYaSfpNmWpqs

[@Sebastian-il2ly]

in Austria it is a law to close on Saturday and in Austria you get tap water everywhere

[@freakygoblin3068]

Couple of points. 1st is bank holidays. Unlike places like the UK they are not moved to the nearest monday but are whenever they fall. This could mean any day of the week. As you mentioned, do not expect shops to be open. You may find you can get some supplies at something like a train station and you may find a bakers open for a couple of hours in the morning but safer to assume nothing is available. The other point is the history side of things. Performing a nazi salute, even in jest, is an offence under german law. Being a foreigner does not excuse it.

[@AE-mu1jc]

4:00 I think I have say it to you before. In Germany all shops must/should make money. So they buy water in a bottle for resell it. If do you now order normal water from the waterline he/she must give it for free but the water company at this place want have money for the water. Only in NZ all free, but never inside EU. So they want do you order normal drinks. This can be normal mineral water too. And if you fall down and say that the water are posioned? What then? So the waiter bring you a bottle at your table.

[@MsWaldo2009]

I love your Channel and your Videos. I’m German and it’s so cool to have someone like you explain what are values are 😊 and you’re so on point!! It’s soooo funny !! I would just like to explain the “no jokes about our past” thing. It’s not like we don’t have our jokes about a certain person from our past, but you’re very right, that we would never joke about this in public. Only with close people and a certain sense of Humor. The thing is, that we are dealing with some major political problems atm. Concerning a certain extreme right-wing party. You might have caught up on this on the news . So this is currently also a very sensitive topic for us Germans.... the majority just hates how it reflects us!! so thank you for mentioning this 💕

[@rickyn1135]

Having most store’s closed on Sunday I think is fantastic.

[@millyhartz5604]

I think they respect their workers

[@rrider3946]

In the old days 1950s and 60s that was common in many American cities.

[@kotzillax4269]

@@millyhartz5604 Not directly, it has actually only religious backgrounds (It's written in the Bible that people should rest on Sundays) and it's based on a law enforced in 1900. Besides, this could change soon, as the retail trade here suffers quite a bit from online shopping, which generates the highest sales on Sundays. Some politicians here now want to change that.

[@DSP16569]

I thnik, many "now in Germany"-People would have hardly died in Germany 40 Years ago, when the shop opening rulles where more resstricted: Opening time Mo. to Fr 8am to 6pm (for everything except gas stations or shops in Train stations - travelers support). Opening time Saturday 8am to 2pm Sunday: No opening times. In the 90s( I thnik was in the late 90s or was it in th early 2000s) they allowed shops to have a long thursday (Langer Donnerstag) where shops where allowed to open on thursday until 8 or 9pm.

[@axelk4921]

@@DSP16569 du hast die " Mittagsruhe" vergessen wo du zwischen 12-14 uhr auch nicht einkaufen konntest

[@AE-mu1jc]

1:44 In NZ do you not need a ticket for public transportion? It is all free to use all? Then the most european countries use tickets for ÖPNV too. The problem is often the different rules.

[@mone.26.6]

You dont have to valid your tickets in every City in Germany. For example in Hamburg you dont have to valid your tickets. And we have also supermarkets, which are opened at sundays, for example at Airport (Hamburg) or at the central station. 😇

[@petyashishiteva65]

In most big cities you have a supermarket at the central train station, which is open on Sundays and public holidays as well. Munich, for example, has a second one open at the airport. In smaller cities sometimes there is a Rossmann at the central station and they sell some food there too :)

[@malte_hoffmann]

But keep in mind that everyone goes shopping when there is a holiday on Monday. If there is also on Friday a holiday then it's really full on the Saturday.

[@Anson_AKB]

yes, and on Xmas eve (24.12.) and Silvester (which is newyear's eve, 31.12.), most shops open until sometime midday (similar to saturday). in addition, to the holiday that almost all countries have (25.12. and 1.1.) Xmas has two holy days where shops are closed on 25.12. and 26.12. especially watch out this year : this year (2020), 24.12. is on a thursday, thus you won't be able to do shopping from thursday noon until monday morning, and almost the same a week later, when shops may be open during those 4 days for only half a day each on thursday and saturday (or won't even force workers to interrupt the "long weekend" for only a few hours on 2.1.). also many shops or people might add just 4.5 vacation days (mon-wed, and 3x0.5 on thursday and saturday) to have a long 11+ days winter vacation from wednesday afternoon before Xmas eve (23.12.) until monday morning after Newyear (4.1.) ... anybody up for a long trip to the caribbean or AUS/NZ ? (if you NOW still can get a flight :-)

[@wernerhiemer406]

It is called "Weltuntergang steht bevor" (doomsday is comming) or "Hamsterkäufe" (guiena pig shoppings). So for ex. 3 or all 4 lanes are open. Normaly there is only one lane occupied. And when students are having "lunch time", pringles or other junk food get bought, two lanes are open.

[@bema1908]

Nice video. If you missed a public holiday on monday, you don't have to starve. Most gas stations do have little shops. But it's more expensive than buying stuff in the supermarkets.

[@carolinec8804]

Gutes Video! Ein Vorschlag: nimm ein Video auf Deutsch auf :)

[@mizapf]

Ticket validation depends on the local public transport authority. For instance, Frankfurt does not have it, Nuremberg has it. In fact, you have to check this carefully first time before you take a tram or train. Single ride tickets are usually issued as pre-validated.

[@annedarbyshire7634]

I have only just come across your channel and watched a few of your uploads. This one really interested me because we visited from the UK recently and spent time in Munich, Berlin and Nuremberg. There is one big mistake you have missed out though. Over all we had a great time and found Germany to be much more efficient and better built than the UK and service in places to eat was great too. Also people went out of their way to help in museums etc. The one mistake we did make was not to factor in a shed load of 50c coins for toilets. The toilet situation was the one thing that did take the gloss off our trip a fair bit. Firstly, it took a bit of getting used too, that every time we needed to use a toilet we had to pay 50c. This is not something you expect in the UK and to be brutally honest, I am not sure what we were paying for because the standards of cleanliness in the toilets was not any better than at home where for the most part, toilets are free. Secondly, as a person with a hidden disability I found these attendants more often than not, made me feel humiliated for wanting to use the accessible toilets, here in the UK, I would not need permission or approval to use the toilet I need to. In fact, I think it is illegal in the UK to even question someone about disability if you are working in a customer facing position. Being directly asked if I am handicapped on more than one occasion was very upsetting. We, as a family felt that it did add a level of stress to our holiday that could maybe be prevented by a better system.

[@AE-mu1jc]

I am very sorry that your situation as handicapped person was not so nice. In Western Germany are all handicapped toilets are free of charge. We use a special key for entree 24/7 this doors. I wonder me why the german embassy in London, UK not talked it to you. Ask at next visit for the european toilet key for handycapped people. It costs around 18€ plus post service.

[@fatdad64able]

Easter monday definitely is always on a monday. Same with whitsunday and whitmonday. One of them (I can't remember which one) is on sunday and the other one is on monday.

[@philippvomort6914]

@Antoinette Your view on "Germany" is heavily biased from the region you live in - bavaria. Of course this is totaly normal and no accusation at all. Nevertheless, one has to mention, that some of these points are different in other regions. Especially the quietness on sunday is handled very different. It is a quiet day around germany, true. That refers to dance partys or other very loud activities. But most people do not bother about others doing their laundry. Bavarians are very old fashioned and very close to the catholic church at that point, but this is not the case for the others. The same refers to opening hours of supermarkets. Sunday and public holidays are the same everywhere, but 8 pm is a very early closing time and again it's a special bavarian topic. Mostly, bigger supermarket chains open their stores minimum until 9 pm. often 10 pm, and in some cases until 11 pm or midnight. So all in all, everything i want to say: Please don't always take Bavaria = Germany, this is simply not true.

[@vbvideo1669]

Klasse Video! Sehr unterhaltsam und interessant. :)

[@benny27ist]

Thank for the advices. I do not know when I’ll go to Germany, but I’ll get there someday. Subscribe for sure. Thank again.

[@mgersin]

I was out at a bar and accidentally said to someone “Das ist meine Fotze!” Instead of “Das ist meine Frau” while pointing to my wife! It was a horrible thing to say about anyone but fortunately everyone around me (including my wife) got a good laugh at my expense! In fact, my wife thought it was so funny, she told her whole family about my mistake the very next day! I’ll never live it down!

[@TheRexHo54]

Some of the things are really true, especially littering or closed stores on sundays. :) But I must say that you can wash your clothes on sundays. The washing machines are built the way, that your neighbours don't hear the sound. We always wash our clothes on sunday. Another important thing: What do you mean with "jokes about German Past"? You even haven't the heart to name it right. I guess you don't think on "German Past" in general. You mean the Holocaust. Of course you can't make jokes about Holocaust or WWII. Why should someone need to make jokes about the worst crime against humanity, where millions od people died? I really don't understand why people make jokes about it.

[@g51582]

I think Antoinette was trying to be polite, rather than not "hav[ing] the heart to name it right". I found it helpful to be reminded. Almost no one in the U.S. makes jokes about the Holocaust, but they do often make jokes in which they use the word "Nazi" to describe someone who is strict about something. I presume these "Nazi jokes" would not be seen as funny whatsoever in Germany.

[@Sp4mMe]

KZbin algorithm doesn't like videos that contain certain topics, even if they are just mentioned in passing. Could mean the channel isn't allowed to generate ad money anymore etc. I don't know whether that's the reason here but if you see someone avoid saying certain words on KZbin that's something to keep in mind.

[@Rainerjgs]

Leider haben viele englisch sprechende Ausländer die schlechte Angewohnheit Witze über Hitler zu machen, um uns Deutsche zu beschämen!

[@LennArtsTV]

It's not the same in every city with the tickets for public transportation. I'm from Hamburg and here you don't have to validate your tickets, you just buy them. So first time in different cities I also was confused by having to validate my ticket.

[@irisuhde7635]

Es kann dir keiner verbieten am Sonntag die Waschmaschine zu benutzen auch nicht in einer Mietwohnung. Den Rasen mäht man besser Samstags. Danke für das nette Video. Es macht immer Spaß dir zuzuhören. Schönes Wochenende.

[@Anson_AKB]

Ja, es geht nicht um die Art der Aktivität, sondern um den Lärm und eventuelle Störungen dadurch. Normales Waschen sollte möglich sein, einfach vormittags später anfangen, abends früher aufhören, und nicht gerade mittags eine Stunde lang schleudern und die Decke der Leute unter Dir vibrieren lassen :-) Und im eigenen Haus ist es sowieso kein Problem. zum Thema "nachts duschen" gab es Gerichtsurteile: Sauberkeit und Hygiene gehen vor, Duschen und die Toilette zu benutzen ist also zu JEDER Zeit erlaubt, allerdings nur solange wie nötig und nicht 30+ Minuten das Wasser laufen lassen.

[@PianistStefanBoetel]

In Hamburg there is no validation necessary...but maybe we are an exception...

[@lotharschepers2240]

Same here around Frankfurt/Main or more percise in the Rhein/Main area.

[@hamuandxerxl4255]

Right and that's why I made that mistake and didn't validate my tickets for six months after moving from Hamburg to Munich. Oops. I had no idea, never heard of that concept before.

[@elfenbeinturm-media]

What if you want to buy a ticket or two to use them another day?

[@stephangoldenberg9163]

HUH? You can buy a ticket and use it for ages, pay once - ride forever?

[@PianistStefanBoetel]

@@elfenbeinturm-media Not possible.

[@ostoer]

The part about the cash is changing. Depending on where you are you can pay everything with cards now. Even my local bakery accepts cards and systems like ApplePay or GooglePay. In cities with lots of Chinese tourists - like Frankfurt- you can even pay using WeChat and Alipay

[@Sierra9911]

the card payment situation in restaurants is not as you described. only few restaurants dont take (credit) cards.

[@der7tezwerg921]

Since the prices for meals in the restaurants are usualy rather low, the restaurants are in fact businesses, making their money by selling you drinks for a little more than you might be used to. Yes, even water. In the end you still won't pay as much in total as you would have to in most other first-world countries. Unless you are visiting a really, really fancy restaurant or hotel.

[@Anson_AKB]

yes, a youtuber was in Berlin and learned to love Döner which costs maybe between 2.50 (really cheap) and 5 (expensive), then went to LA in the USA, and found a restaurant which had Döner. they were bad quality, he got the bill together with the meal (although there was nobody else sitting at 20 tables), the drink included free refills but he even didn't finish the first glass in the 10-15 minutes until he left. in total a mildly unpleasant experience for him, or an extremely unpleasant/impossible experience for europeans. and the price for food and drink? *_13$,_* not yet including mandatory tip and taxes. i prefer to pay a quarter of that price for better food without drinks, maybe half the price for food AND drinks (even if the drink is "only" fizzy water) without refills but being allowed to stay and have a nice experience, and afterwards being allowed to stay for almost any length of time while i occasionally buy more drinks (for a total that does not exceed those 15+$). in germany and europe many people meet in restaurants, some eat first, some later, or not at all, everybody drinks something, and everybody has a long (often 4-6 hours) nice evening.

[@ajrwilde14]

well you shouldn't drop litter anywhere

[@BB-wu1xz]

We think in France that germans speak so loud compare to french :) and yes we are always in trouble when we use our credit card instead if cash, and sometimes cash machine are not free of charge. Germans are very respectfull when they cross the street. I love so much Germany.

[@diemoomookuh3274]

Kannst du ein Video auf deutsch machen? Ich finde es sehr interessant was du erzählst und was andere über dieses Land denken. 👍

[@kathom67]

While your advice is great, some are generalizing a bit. * Tickets: Just make sure they are validated. In some cities they are automatically, in others not. Just look if you can see the date and time somewhere printed. If not, look for a machine to validate them. * Cash: You can use your credit or debit card a lot in shops or restaurants. Again, just make sure before you order, especially in a restaurant. :) * Tab water: it depends. Cafés or bistros with a rather younger customer base may offer it. Also, if you're a regular guest at a restaurant, you may also get some - if you order something else in addition. * Sundays: Gas stations offer quite a range of products by now, also bigger train stations will usually have open shops. And a lot of bakeries by now are open on Sunday mornings. So you won't starve. ^^

[@Robidu1973]

Also add that some places are exempt from this rule, like some spa resorts, and as far as doing the laundry or other things on Sundays is concerned, it's not strictly forbidden - you are just expected to keep the noise level down. And if you are sufficiently far away from your neighbors, you also have it like _no plaintiff, no judge_, i. e. if nobody feels disturbed, you won't have any trouble coming.

[@garynarborough]

Really interesting Antoinette. I was s surprised the first time I travelled on the trams and that the tickets had to be validated. Most of the other things you've mentioned I've struck already so genau! I've lost several friends because of really offensive remarks they've made about Germany's past. People don't like being pulled up for it and this has been in NZ. Great video again and thanks!

[@timolynch149]

I am German. Maybe in some place people are just whispering in hushed voices on Sundays, but by and large, unless you go completely nuts, normal activities such as doing your laundry and mowing your lawn are nothing anybody gets upset about. I haven't lived in Germany for a while, in the first nearly 30 years of my life, I never had any kind of argument with anybody over "Oh no, you mowed your lawn on Sunday!!!"

[@Lindanaritau]

As a German, I agree on everything

[@janheinbokel3969]

I Always Love IT when you say your own Name in this very Special 🥝-accent from Middle-Earth

[@saraht3196]

i'm an american college student who's been learning the german language for the past almost seven years now, and this video has made me even more excited about spending a week in munich this summer! :-)

[@Arltratlo]

Munich isnt in Germany, Munich is in Bavaria, thats not Germany, thats Bavaria... diffrent language and diffrent clothes and diffrent everything..

[@saraht3196]

​@@Arltratlo sure, ok.

[@Arltratlo]

please read up on Bavaria and Germany... there are Franken and Schwaben in Bavaria who did not like to be called Bayern... also its very offensive to ask people from other states if they also own leather pants... try to learn the diffrences between Bavaria and the rest of Germany, and dont be surprised if you cant understand a single word they tell you, because the german you learned in school is spoken only in Northern Germany...

[@saraht3196]

@@Arltratlo i am aware of the lederhosen stereotype and that those who speak bayrisch may not understand hochdeutsch. i understand that despite history, bayern is politically considered part of germany. i was just excited and you kinda killed the vibe lol

[@Arltratlo]

@@saraht3196 i was a few times in NYC and New Jersey, so i am aware about your own country problems with politness....lol

[@teachersusanute199]

You can order tap water. Esp in cafés. But it is not common 😁

[@sarahmichael270244]

Great job!!😍😻😘🔝

[@AE-mu1jc]

8:00 Am Sonntag Wäsche waschen? Na ja, das "Nachmittags gleich Ruhezeit" Gesetz gibt es nicht mehr, dasselbe halt mit dem Sonntag. Ich versuche, meine Wäsche möglichst nicht am Sonntag zu waschen, verboten ist es aber nicht. Dann kommt es ja immer darauf an, wo du wohnst.

[@hallihallowirfahren4929]

On Sunday and Public Holidays You can also buy things at the next Petrol Station.

[@ostoer]

hallihallowirfahren In bigger cities, train stations are also an option.

[@Cynrinna]

In Hannover we have a lidl at the Central Station which is Open from 6 am to 10pm .... even on sundays and holidays.

[@00Mrsx00]

I don't understand why everyone says that cash is king in Germany... yes, it's less common than in Portugal, where I come from, but until now I only had issues in one restaurant in Bonn city center (!!!!). And I live in a rural area of NRW.

[@folkehoffmann1198]

In the part of Berlin that I live in, we have a lot of restaurants where you have to pay with cash.

[@00Mrsx00]

@@folkehoffmann1198 really?? That is weird. One should think that in bigger cities it would be easier to pay with card. But it confirms the situation I had in Bonn. This never happened to me around Bocholt.

[@anikaschneider2611]

@@00Mrsx00 It is the same everywhere. You were only lucky i guess. I lived in villages, small towns and now in Cologne. Everywhere problems in Restaurants. Of course most of the restaurant offer payment with card, but too many still don't or they do it only with a minimum amount like 15, 20 or 30 Euro.

[@00Mrsx00]

Damn... I must be really lucky! 😁

[@ekkehardtbauer4412]

Well, two points on this: First, the payment culture is changing currently. This means, that more and more shops and restaurants accept credit cards. Second, it heavily depends on the size of a shop or a restaurant and the region where you are. In a small backery, shop or restaurant, it is almost impossible to pay with your card (sometimes the bill has to be higher than 10 Euro for example). In larger supermarkets or restaurants, paying with your card is very common. There are also huge differences between urban and rural areas.

[@ThomasFischer71]

Beside the fact, that everything changes over time even Germans and their behaviour, I fully agree. In general it is a good guide for tourists 👍

[@carola-lifeinparis]

very true :) good advice

[@koritsi2142]

I'm German and I almost never carry cash haha,you can actually pay with card at all stores and most restaurants

[@germansnowman]

koritsi 21 A lot of restaurants have a minimum spend before you can pay by card, e. g. 10 Euro.

[@tyrant9011]

@@germansnowman Also ALL stores is kind of an exxaggeration. Try your Mastercard/Visa at ten different stores across the country (urban and rural) and I promise that results will vary.

[@caralmk]

Bakeries never take card tho...

[@koritsi2142]

most big chains (Hoefer, Geissen..) do, but it's true that smaller independent bakeries don't

[@caralmk]

@@koritsi2142 die gibt's bei uns nicht🤷🏼‍♀️

[@jurgenrathjen5965]

Sunday closing laws were really quite common in the US up until the 1950's. Growing up in NYC, all the major stores and supermarkets were closed. The law changed around the mid-1950's. And that was on a state by state basis. there was no national Sunday closing law. Very interesting video.

[@NikolausUndRupprecht]

The closing laws in Germany are also made in each state. The opening hours vary depending on the state. Bavaria (where Antoinette lives) has the most restrictive laws, requiring most shops to close at 8 p.M. Other states (such as North Rhine-Westphalia) have loosened those laws. There are no mandatory closing times from Monday to Saturday. Only the Sunday is protected. However, I am not a fan of this new arrangement. Many smaller shops went out of business since then. I believe that this is partially to blame on the longer opening hours. Big shops can afford to have staff around the clock, while the smaller businesses (especially in the villages) couldn't afford to open their shop for so long. On the whole it makes it more expensive, since you have also to pay staff during the less profitable hours of the day. Bigger shops with more goods sold per day can afford that. Smaller shops can no longer compete. It's a shame because the small shops where important for the elderly generation that would no longer drive or couldn't afford a car.

[@Anson_AKB]

@@NikolausUndRupprecht here (Berlin), it sometimes was just the opposite. there were lots of _"Spätis"_ ("late open" shops), which had open very late (midnight+) and on sundays too. in contrast to (medium and big) supermarkets which couldn't afford all the power and enough employees to keep them open for hours without anybody buying something, those Spätis mostly were family businesses, having the owner or a family member or friend waiting in a backroom, etc. thus there were lots of people buying at them in the evening and on the weekend, paying normal prices for cigarettes and newspapers, and +50% to +100% higher prices than in supermarkets for beverages, snacks and a very small set of other items (and supermarkets which tried to open 24/7 would need to increase their prices too). thus for some time we had cheap supermarkets at daytime on weekdays (12/6 :-) and more costly Spätis for other times. regulations for opening times and their supervision were mostly a matter of local districts in the town, and one after the other started enforcing that they have to close on sunday (caused by supermarkets complaining about their opening times?), which created a big financial problem for some of them after losing that advantage over big stores, no longer justifying higher prices, and also gas stations still would be open at night or on sundays (although they might have gotten some restrictions too, like limited times to sell alcohol: food and beverages are ok, but which driver needs alcohol when stopping by a gas station?)

[@edwindoe3734]

2 kleine Ergänzungen. Das Entwerten der Fahrkarten im ÖPNV ist zum Beispiel in Hamburg nicht notwendig. Anders in Berlin, dort ja. Also immer vorort schlau machen. Leitungswasser kostenlos kann man auch bekommen, nur nicht immer überall. Auf Wanderschaft in ländlichen Regionen eher, als bei Systemgastronomen in der Großstadt.

[@MultiScooter63]

I know it's usually not allowed to do noisy things in Germany on Sundays, but I don't care as long as no neighbour complains - which did not happen so far. Worse than monday being a public holiday is when it's saturday I think - so you cannot do your weekend shopping at all.

[@r.b.8061]

I only disagree about your point with the cash. You are able to pay everything with cash in Germany, cash is king - you are right, BUT: in big shops (REWE, ALDi, EDEKA, Karstadt and so on) and restaurants you are able to pay everything by card, even small amounts. In little shops like a bakery or so you pay normally by cash but some have a card reader and the mostly they take only debit cards. Sometimes in bigger shops you have a minimum amount that they only take cash for, depends from 10 - 20 Euro. But they inform you at the cash register with big signs above you. And if you are uncertain, pay with cash or ask before you buy something (even you are not able to speak a word in german - show them your cards). AND sometimes little shops especially bakeries, who deal mostly with cash, the don't accept 1 or 2 sometimes 5 cent coins any more, because the have to pay a very high fee to deposit this red coins on their bank accounts. They will inform you with a sign at the cash register. But if you are very nice and have no other money the will make an exception for you. Bigger shops even accept modern types of pay like apple pay and so on. The rule her also: ask before you purchase something which paying options you will have.

[@Cera3]

I pay everything with my smartphone. Many German shops have upgraded to contactless payment methods in the last years. In small shops I always ask before trying to pay and won't buy anything if they only accept cash

[@Anson_AKB]

in many of the bigger supermarkets you even can get cash up to 200€ (in contrast to many ATM of differently grouped banks, this is without any additional fees) if you bought something for 20+€ with a debit card.

[@Anson_AKB]

- funny translation at 1:26 ... german _"entwerten"_ is english validate (make valid for the current use), but literally is INvalidate (make unusable for another/multiple future use) - there are big differences between debit and credit cards, with debit cards often being as good as cash (should still be avoided for small amounts and in small shops) - no free refills and no free water in restaurants, but food is cheaper than in many other places and you can enjoy your stay for hours if you occasionally order a new drink - shops are not only closed on sundays but also smaller shops close like decades ago, on saturday already shortly after noon (maybe 1pm or 2pm), and possibly daily at 6pm - on quiet sundays you should not make noise, but those are rules and not laws, and if you own a house or have massive walls, nothing prohibits you from washing laundry - nobody should make offensive jokes to or about anybody anywhere (and some "practical jokes" like certain symbols and gestures are even illegal by law) - in contrast to the Autobahn and without signs or other rules, there are GENERAL speed limits on country roads (100 km/h, 60+ mph) and in towns (50 km/h, 30+ mph). - the Autobahn has NO GENERAL speedlimit ANYWHERE for normal CARS, but general limits for trucks and buses, and lots of speed limits given by signs more details in several other answers below other comments :-)

[@germansnowman]

Anson I think the washing thing mostly refers to hanging the laundry out to dry.

[@Rebel_Vamp1r3]

I was recently in Germany and I remembered the water thing from my previous visits there, I hate bubbly water or anything with bubbles on it, which is a hassle, so I tend to go for apple juice haha

[@sandra7790]

But it is no problem to order a water with no bubbles. It is called "Stilles Wasser" and available in every restaurant an sometimes even at MC Donalds and similar Locations. But it is right, that you have to pay for it

[@Rebel_Vamp1r3]

@@sandra7790 oh when I asked they usually didn't have it, here in Spain you pay it too, I will remember that so I know how to order it when I come back, thank you! :)

[@herbertsax7169]

Regarding shopping on Sunday it‘s possible at gas stations and railway stations. However the prices are significantly higher. Littering is not accepted in deed. However there are a lot of Germans who are littering. A problem in big cities, not at small villages.

[@imrehundertwasser7094]

Let's just say Germany does have its share of inconsiderate louts.

[@dagmarde1101]

We use you live in Auckland and really miss the fact to pay almost anything with our Visa card.

[@feelicet3340]

Validating the tickets is even very puzzling for Germans. In my area, the tickets are sometimes already validated and Sometimes you habe to do it. It depends on the Ticket machine. You always have to study your Ticket to Figuren out how to proceed. For foreigners, it is not understandable.

[@Alexander-dt2eq]

I actually think this will change soon. Even some supermarkets are now open on sundays in big cities (Berlin, trains stations, airports ofc).

[@Anson_AKB]

this changes back and forth, and also depends on which district you live in ... some years ago, we got Spätis all over the town which were open very late daily and also on sundays, but 1 or 2 years ago, they started enforcing that also Spätis have to close on sundays, while at the same time more and more supermarkets exist that are open until 10pm, 11pm or even midnight, but not on sundays. i know some of the shops that are open in Berlin on sundays, but ALL of them have the "excuse" to be for travellers and tourists, all near the main train stations and airports, or at least near important transportation hubs.

[@OldNerdTV]

You don't have to validate tickets in every city. If you try to find a machine to validate your ticket in the north, you won't find it, because the ticket is valid from the moment you buy them here. Again, as iterated by others in the comments: Bavaria is very different from most parts of Germany in any possible way. Germany is very diverse in a lot of aspects.

[@Cynrinna]

In Hannover you have still both ways. In the Bus or Tram are still machines to validate. At a Kiosk or direct by the üstra you can still buy Tickets wich you need to validate.

[@nikolajhofmann630]

Mit dem Thema SUPER LOUD hast Du leider recht: ich war in München in einem Lokal und wollte mich mit meinem Tischnachbarn unterhalten, dies war jedoch nicht möglich, da die Amerikaner am Tisch hinter uns so laut waren, dass man sein eigenes Wort nicht mehr verstehen konnte. Ich bat sie dann, etwas leiser zu sein, das ignorierten sie jedoch, schrieen sogar noch lauter herum. Ich wies sie erneut daraufhin, dass es hier in Deutschland nicht üblich sei, in einem Wirtshaus so laut zu sein, sie bezeichneten mich daraufhin als "Asshole" und "Loser"! Da wurde es mir dann zu bunt, ich ließ den Oberkellner kommen und die Leute aus dem Wirtshaus werfen. Da zogen sie dann ganz kleinlaut ab, denn damit hatten sie nicht gerechnet. Sicher sind nicht alle Amerikaner so....

[@johncameron4194]

I have discovered that speaking English gives me more help than speaking in German.

[@Bruno_Haible]

0:23 Rothenburg ob der Tauber 0:28 Köln am Rhein 0:31 Dresden an der Elbe

[@fatdad64able]

London an der Themse, Paris an der Seine, Kalkutta am Ganges, Pyritz an der Knatter....^^

[@Waechter_im_All]

Selbstverständlich machst du deine Wäsche auch am Sonntag! Vielleicht nicht gerade in der Mittagszeit. Aber Wäsche waschen und Staubsaugen ist völlig okay am Sonntag. Auch das mit dem Cash ist zum Glück nicht mehr ganz so schlimm wie noch vor ein paar Jahren. Wenn das Geschäft Kartenzahlung akzeptiert, kannst mittlerweile auch kleinere Beträge mit Karte bezahlen. Was dir allerdings noch immer passieren kann, ist: Dass sie dir an der Kasse sagen "sorry - cash _only_!"

[@milupi1236]

Der Rewe am Bahnhof hat bei uns auch am Sonntag auf.

[@armadspengler2717]

Stichwort: Bahnhof - vom allgemeinen Ladenschlussgesetz ausgenommen um den Bedarf von Reisenden zu decken. Gilt auch für Tankstellenshops und Ladengeschäfte in Flughäfen.

[@fredsmith809]

Don't say hello to.... basically anyone. The best outcome is a cold stare...the worst outcome is them thinking you have escaped a psychiatric hospital because you are too happy. Maybe this only applies to Berlin though?

[@leahegeloh8929]

Oh really? I think there enough people who say hello to everyone cause you do it in the villages and there it would be rude not doing it. But in the big cities it could be concidered as crazy.

[@prozaque]

Ticket validation (where applicable) makes total sense. This way you can buy one, or multiple tickets in advance and the clock doesn't start ticking before you actually need the ticket.

[@rrider3946]

Are recreational facilities such as golf courses,, and ski resorts open on Sunday?Are sporting events played on Sunday?

[@justus8675]

Yep, they are.

[@Anson_AKB]

yes, all those businesses (also restaurants, etc) are open that are needed to allow families to enjoy the free day together. some of them then are closed on some other day. and police and firefighters also don't wait until monday morning to extinguish fires or help people. but eg in hospitals, they try to accept new patients at the beginning of weeks, dismiss them on friday instead of keeping them until monday (examinations/xray, etc on the weekend only for emergencies, to need less doctors and nurses), and sometimes move two remaining stations to a single station (even less nurses needed on the weekend). i had the misfortune (or maybe fortune) to be sent to hospital on friday after noon with an infected gallbladder, got Xray in the afternoon, the emergency/night doctor had nothing better to do in the evening (and no other emergencies), i got rid of that beast, woke up on saturday, got an empty three-bed-room for myself on sunday, and was dismissed, again before a weekend 10 or 12 days later.

[@rrider3946]

@@Anson_AKB Thanks for the info, I figured that police, fire , and medical worked on Sunday just like the US. Perhaps you can explain the German medical system which I understand unlike France or the UK most people have private medical insurance like the US but at a much lower cost and far superior coverage. The Netherlands and Japan also have that system from what I know.

[@germansnowman]

Alan Mayer There is public and private insurance. Unlike the UK where I live now, people pay specifically for health insurance (I think currently it is 15% of gross income, with the employer paying about half of that) rather than it being funded by taxes. Also, there are dozens of providers of public health insurance. Private health insurance is good only for younger people, as it does not cover family members and prices increase drastically in old age. You can switch from private to public only when you change jobs, so this can put self-employed people in a big bind when they get older and realize how expensive private insurance is. Of course, you can add specialty private insurance to public, like dental.

[@sanablue]

you're so right with the inappropriate history jokes. I hate them and I don't know one person who doesn't. it's just a thing I noticed that many people from other countries do, but i don't understand why. they feel like they're so edgy making their dumb Hitler and Nazi jokes but it's actually quite rude to assume we have anything in common with those people back then. and also, even if you're not from Germany and didn't get those like 8 years of school were you're told every little detail of those awful times over and over so that it's literally burnt into your brain, you must have had some sort of education. someone to tell you about the many people who suffered and died during that time that you're so casually laughing about. it's not just respect towards younger generations but rather respect for all those victims. so please, even if you think it's funny, just don't. keep it to yourself. joke about something that's not related to people dying or suffering. thanks.

[@Anson_AKB]

also note that "glorifying and showing nazi-symbols and -gestures, denying the holocaust, etc" is not only frowned upon, but really illegal! thus it is no fun for anbody (neither germans nor tourists if they get caught) to do the salute or similar, especially at memorials, where some tourists can't restrict themselves from misbehaving.

[@fatdad64able]

It's true. Some of these jokes are so bad, 80 years ago we would have invaded your country for it.

[@sympathderseefahrer420]

Good one Anton! And I have to say, just freaking take it. Its our past and responsebility, your age doesnt matter. As long as the Nazi is the jokes idiot, its all good, thats not you. The movie "Das Leben ist schön" (La vita è bella) shows that it very much is possible to joke about Nazi Germany, and that there is value in duing so.

[@fatdad64able]

@@sympathderseefahrer420 Totally agree. It must not be forgotten ever. It is an example for everyone to see which cruelties mankind is capable of. Not only Germans, but everyone. Especially in times where a president of a rich country separates children from their parents and interns them in bootcamps for months. And the citizens of that country all know, but no one does anything about it although they wouldn't even risk their lifes like a German would have.

[@eisikater1584]

I MUST comment on the Sunday thing, as I have often heard people complaining that there's nothing open on Sundays, and still worse, in the countryside, there are no bus lines running. Some people say it's a religious thing, as god rested on the seventh day (European week count starts from Monday, not Sunday, so Sunday is 7th); others claim that it was the workers' unions in the early 1900s who fought for workers' rights and got them a free Sunday. Whatever it was: I enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon. But don't you worry: Gas stations and restaurants usually are open. There even is a word for people who only drive on Sundays with their family, it is, as you might guess, "Sonntagsfahrer", a driver with little skills who swerves lanes randomly, and has little self-consciousness. On a Sunday, every little creature can drive on the German autobahn, because we have that "Sonntagsfahrverbot" for trucks: Until 10 p.m. on Sundays, there will be no trucks on the autobahn, except some with a special permit, like for fresh produce etc. -- But be careful anyway, there may be construction sites.

[@LovelyFaith88]

I don't agree with one point: I always pay for everything with my card, even if it costs less than 10 euros. I never have cash in my pocket. However, you can only pay with cash at the bakery... that's why I don't go to the bakery 😅

[@Baccatube79]

It's not a tradition. It's an achievement by workers' unions! Also: gas stations sell basic food, but it'll cost you dearly.

[@DanielleBabyBliss]

OMG I so know what you mean. Americans are so loud. If I am out getting a meal especially with one of my American friends. We get so excited... and notice people stare like ''wow... keep it down'' Although I had a fellow new Zealand friend who left sadly. German life just was not for her. But she and I would get pretty loud too together. Awesome tips! So true about Germans and not liking the negative aspects of their history come up. It is a very sensitive subject. I do not know why anyone would assume it is ever ok to bring up especially in a joke manner....

[@lotharschepers2240]

Danielle I'm an older native Babyboomer German and yes the Nazi times are a senstive topic. But we could make jocks about it, the problem is only that such jocks must respect the feelings of any victem. So one joke that did fix in that frame is: The Führer was a fraudent because he did never got a Führerschein. In German that one works as a reim: Der Führer legte alle rein er hatte nie nen Führerschein.

[@hamuandxerxl4255]

In fact Germans do make jokes about Hitler (and maybe some other old Nazis). But for a foreigner it is practically impossible to understand at what times such a joke can be appropriate, and how explicit it may be. For example jokes about Anne Frank, other victims or gas chambers are incredibly tasteless. So just don't.

[@DanielleBabyBliss]

@@hamuandxerxl4255 That makes sense. Of course Germans have the right to joke but as a foreigner that is territory I would not touch in a joke like manor. Nor do I really want to.

[@AntoinetteEmily]

You're so right Danielle. I think anyone who jokes about certain aspects of German history does not truly understand the extent of what happened. My husband was actually born in Auschwitz so his birthplace is written on most of his documentation. When Germans see this it can be very awkward and I notice they always have a look of guilt and shame. This makes me sad because they are feeling shame for something they personally played no part in. It really is a very sensitive topic on so many levels and should never be joked about.

Cash is king in NZ too… at least I'm pretty sure that a business *has* to accept cash, while they are not obligated *by law* to accept any card. And people in Germany *do* pay for small amounts with card. Why not, if they're used to paying with card?

[@shaungordon9737]

Germans may be quiet when they're at home in Germany, but not when they travel!! I've heard many many loud German conversations here in Australia. It doesn't bother me, but I don't think it's correct to say they're all super quiet and polite.

[@jamillx]

Because away from home, people behave different. "Auswärts sind wir asozial"

[@NK-qp1ho]

Last summer when I was in Germany I went to a self check-out in a supermarket only to find out it was card only payment after scanning all my shopping (51 €) and obviously I just had cash on me.

[@piccadelly9360]

You're right about credit cards. That happened to me a long time ago. At that time I visited the USA and practically paid with a card, even the suvenirs from the Indians that have no electricity or internet but pay with a card no problem. When I came back to Germany I was glad that I had the credit card (stored in my brain that Germany is the world leader in technology). The first store where I wanted to pay by credit card was not accepted. It was all in 1995. A lot has changed so far, but it will never be like USA or China. Cash is king in Germany